Jock-strap.



A.. QUENZER.

J CGK STRAP.

APRLIUA-TION FILED 001.18, 1910.A

I Patentedmay 2,7; 1913'.

2 SHEET S-SH'B BIC l'.

v (lttomeg:

witnesses A. QUENZER.

JOGK STRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED 0GT.18, 1910.

Patented May 27, 1.913.

Z SHEETS-*SHEET 2.

witnesses Cttomeg.

ARTHUR QUENZEB, 0F NEW YORK, N.Y.

Joon-samer.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 19:13.

Application filed October 18, 1910. Serial No. 587,658.

To all 'whom 'it may concern Be it known'that I, ARTHUR QUENZER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county vof New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in J ook-Straps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful form of jock-strap or supporter and the invention consists in the construction and eculiar arrangement of parts as hereina er fully set forth in the specification and particularl pointed out in the claims.

An o ject of my invention is to provide a device especially adapted for athletes use which may be readily adjusted .to position upon the body 0f the wearer and which when once adjusted will allow of a free movementvof the body through the yielding qualities of portions of the structure without discomiture to the parts of the body'in contact therewith.

Another object of my invention is to provide a supporter of the class hereinafter described in which the major portion of the supporting or waist band is composed ofan elastic material while that portion vwhich contacts with or lies across the abdomen is formed of a non-elastic material, to form a firm and unyielding support for the suspensory portion which is attached thereto and which will not sag or become distorted during the movements of the body.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 ils a perspective view of one form of my 1m- `proved jock-strap. Fig, 2 is a perspective view fromthe rear of a portion of my device showing the special construction of the suspensory pouch or sack. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. l illustrating a novel construction of pocket arranged in the non-elastic front web portion. Fig. 4 is another form of my device showing the manner of connecting the suspensory pouch or sack with the supporting or waist-band through the medium of a loop or tubular portion of said suspensory sack. Fig. 5 is a sectional view .on the lin-e- 5-5 of Fig. 4, showing the detailconstruction at this point 4' whereby the looped portion has a sliding connection with the waist-band and showing the peculiar formation of the suspensory pouch or sack.'

In construction my invention includes a supporter in which A represents the main supporting belt which may be made of an elastic or yielding material having an inserted front section B of suitable non-elastic material, stitched or sewed as at C. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the inserted nonelastic section B, is composed of three thicknesses B1, B2 and B3 of fabric, or technically speaking comprises a three-ply structure and is united with the main body portion A by seams C and along the bottom where it joinsV the top of the suspensory portion D with a seam C2. The portion B may be folded from a single sheet of fabric, vor may be composed of several independent strips and it may be formed as shown in Fig. 3, having a front loop portion'composed of the folded parts B1, B2, the lower edges embracing the upper edge' of the'elastic suspensory D, and a rear pieceB3, the several portions vantages heretofore encountered. When the central portion of the waist-band is formed of elastic, the downward pull of the suspensory causes the belt to sag at the very place where it should remain firm. Moreover, on account of the bending movements of the body, the elastic band curls over atfthe top and becomes misshapen.

By referring to the cross-section shown in Fig. 3, it will be observed that I have formed the central non-elastic suspensory supporting portion of a' plurality of layers and have separated the front and rear strips except at the bottom and ends where theyv are sewed together. The several plies constituting this portion furnish a substantially rigid non-sagging support for the suspensory and yet remain perfectly pliable as would not be the case if a thick' piece were 1 5 inserted having the combined thickness of the several plies. The front portion, comprising the loop B1, B2, forms the main rigid support for the suspensory while the single-ply rear member B3 comes in Contact Thel .advantages of with the body and furnishes a pliable yieldinghand comfortable engagement with the fles In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown another form of my invention, in which the same advantages are present but are effected by a slightly different construction. The central main supporting portion attached to the suspensory is again formed of a loop or pocket of two plies, as `in .the construction previously described, but 1n this case the loop B, B5 is carried over and embraces the single-ply member B, which is not attached to the loop but is free to slide therethrough. In this construction it will be observed, that the belt or waist-band may slide between the inner and outer members ofthe loop or pocket and, as the elastic portion A clings to the flesh during the twisting movements of the body, there may be a slight movement through the loop without distorting the suspensory-supporting portion. I prefer to cover theseams which unite the elastic to the non-elastic portions of belt, by pads or protecting strips C1 in order that there may be no chafing of the body at these points.

In both forms of my jock-strap, the nonelastic suspensory-supportingportion is drawn tautl and maintained in a firm, unyielding position across the abdomen without sagging by the direct pull of the elastic portion of the waist-band A, the two-ply loop portion forming a firm support and the single-ply member coperating therewith to permit the single thickness which engages the body to conform to all of the folds or movements of the iiesh and to creep with respect to the adjacent ply while maintaining the suspensory support taut and without any sagging or curling of the edges.

Another feature of my present invention resides-.in the particular construction of the suspensory whereby a more efiicient pouch is provided. The suspenso-ry is formed from a single rectangular oblong strip of elastic o1" yielding material` the sides of which before shaping into the pouch were parallel, said strip having cut from one end thereof, a triangular or V-shaped portion, thereby leaving a notch, the sides of which are brought together and joined by strips of tape D1 whereby a shallow pouch or pocket D2 is formed. It will be observed that, by this construction, the parallel elastic ribbing which extends longitudinally through the portion D, is converged from opposite sides and united in the protecting strip D1, thus producing a protruding centrally disposed pouch or pocket which can yield forwardly to pressure brought thereon. The thigh straps G are connected to the tapering sides of the lower end of the suspensory upon either side of the apex and are so connected as to exert a pull at substantially a right angle to the ribbing and transverse of the webbing. Inasmuch as the webbing is not elastic transversely, the pull exerted by the thigh straps Gr will not stretch or distort the suspensory laterally. It will' be apparent this result is accomplished by reason of the fact that the elastic ribbing is bent inwardly at the lower end of the suspensory so that there can be no llongitudinal pull exerted upon the ribbing by the thigh straps. The construction is important since any diroet longitudinal pull upon the elastic ribbin at this point would stretch the webbing, distorting the suspensory and causing an improper contraction and pressure upon the pouch portion. I am, therefore, enabled to maintain the proper sha e of the suspensory without distortion, ma ting it sufliciently rigid laterally to Withstand the direct thrust or pullof the thigh straps andyet perfectly yielding in a forward direction.

The many advantages of my invention will be understood from the foregoing description.

I have provided a construction which effectually maintains the suspensory-supporting portion of the belt firm and taut wlthout any sagging or curling over, and yet which permits the clinging of the portion which is in contact with the body, so that it can yield and conform to every movement thereof. I have also constructed a suspensory which while sufficiently yielding in a forward direction is yet rigid in a lateral direction and in the direction of the pull of the thigh straps. The particular construction of the lower end of the suspensory which receives the sudden and severe strains from the thigh straps is also an important feature of my invention.

I claim as my invention l. A jock-strap comprising a suspensory having a body portion formed of a single piece provided with strands of elastic ribbing extending longitudinally thereof and distributed therethrough, the corresponding strands upon opposite sides converging at the lower end and meeting along a median line, thereby forming a pouch longitudinally yieldable and transversely non-yieldable, longitudinally elastic thigh-bands secured to opposite sides of the converging lower portion of said body portion, and a waist-band secured to the upper part of the body portion.

2. A jock-strap comprising a suspensory having a body portion formedof a single piece provided with strands of elastic ribbing extending longitudinally therethrough, the corresponding strands upon opposite sides converging at the lower end and meeting along a median line, thereby forming a pouch longitudinally yieldable and transversely non-yieldable, a non-elastic reinforcing strip secured to and covering the ends of said convergent strands, elastic thighbands secured to opposite sides of the converging lower portion of said body portion, a waist-support comprising a non-elastic member secured to the upper edge of the suspensory and an elastlc waist-band secured to opposite sides of said non-elastic member. A

3. A jock-strap, comprising a suspensoly composed of fabric havmg strands of elastic ribbing symmetrically distributed and exl .tending longitudinally therethrough, said elastic strands converging at the lower end to form the fabric into a central protruding pouch or pocket,v an elastic waist-band having a front central portion comprising a to the rear of said elastic waist-band andV adapted to exert a pull transverse to the strands of said fabric.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTHUR QUENZER. Witnesses:

LORENZ E. QUENZER, FRANCIS HUCELIN. 

